Stargate SG-1: The Fifth Race
by i-defy-fate
Summary: AU! Heavily inspired by the story: Project Blue Book by AmeliusTheAlteran. I definitely recommend giving it a read if you're a massive Stargate fan who wished the series was a bit more realistic (regardless of the fact that it is sci-fi in the first place). Full summary in first chapter if you want to know what's going on. I plan for this to be 200k words - 10k per chapter.


**Stargate SG-1: The Fifth Race**

**Summary: **Where the Stargate Program in taken far more seriously and where the US military is actually a force to be reckoned with. Where the US realizes that the problem goes beyond them and brings together several major powers around the world in an attempt to make them understand that it isn't worth fighting each other when there is an enemy that doesn't care what country you're from.

**Rated M! for Language mainly (NO LEMONS HERE)**

**AN: **I fully plan for this story to be 200k+ words with at least 10-12k+ per chapter. This one isn't simply due to the fact that I am attempting to set up the rest of the story.

**ABOVE TOP SECRET**

**1****st****, August – 1997**

**Documentation of *REDACTED* **

**To the office of *REDACTED***

President William Jefferson Clinton, more commonly known as "Bill Clinton", stared at the large file sat upon his desk as he slowly sat back in his chair attempting to wrap his head around the fact that his air force was running a program, which used an alien piece of technology to send people to other planets. He shook his head in disbelief as he looked up at the group in front of him. In front of him were eleven men and women who were either the most knowledgeable of the program, actively participate in said program or were just informed.

General Hugh Shelton, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Sat at a relaxed attention looking at the president with understanding.

Michael Nocella, Clinton's personal aide, stood to the side in utter disbelief while looking at the ceiling.

The four main scientists who had worked on the program including: Catherine Langford.

Doctor Daniel Jackson, archaeologist and linguist, the man behind getting the program running after discovering how the technology was used.

Major General George Hammond, the new leader of the "Stargate" program.

Colonel Jack O'Neill, special forces/black ops commando, leader of the team who first went through the gate a few years before and again when attempting the rescue of a female military officer who had been kidnapped by an alien overlord.

Captain Samantha Carter, Astrophysicist, engineer and pilot. She was second in command of the team led by O'Neill to the world of Chulak.

Dr. Janet Fraiser, the head of medical personnel for the program.

Taking a deep breath to gather himself, Clinton met the eyes of everyone in the room. "Why am I only now being told about this 'Stargate'?" He spoke. General Shelton straightened. "Sir, it was only held from you for plausible deniability in case something went wrong. The plan was to let you know should there be something that needed your immediate attention-""And what exactly needs my immediate attention, general?" Clinton interrupted. Everyone in the room other than the president and his aide exchanged a look before General Hammond stood from his seat. "Mr. President, we have discovered that the Stargate doesn't just go to a couple of planets, sir. Its 'network' is running to thousands of planets throughout the entire galaxy. From what we're told by our new resident Jaffa, Teal'c; the galaxy is mostly controlled by a species of parasitic beings that inhabit humans called, the Goa'uld." He then walked to the president's desk and put a large map atop it showing the galaxy. The map itself had only a few colors to it representing areas of control, but the president's biggest concern happened to be the massive red bubble that took up a majority of the galaxy. A smaller blue bubble, which might as well have been a dot, on the map where Earth was. And a yellow/gold dot which had the label 'Abydos' next to it.

Clinton held up his hand and rolled up the map before he pressed a small button on his phone. "Betty?" He let go and he didn't so much as wait two seconds before he got a response.

"Mr. President?"

"Have a large cork board brought to my office and have my schedule cleared for today."

"Mr. President, do you remember your dinner with Mrs. Clinton tonight?"

He rubbed the bridge of his nose in irritation as he spoke. "I remember, but I'll give her a call real quick and let her know that I will be tied up for the rest of today and likely into the early morning."

"Yes Mr. President."

"Oh, and Betty? Go ahead and take an extra hour on your break. I have a feeling that I'll need you later on…"

"Are you sure Mr. President?" Everyone could hear the hesitation in her voice.

Bill gave a soft chuckle before replying. "I'm sure, Betty. Please have the board sent here as soon as possible."

"Give me ten minutes, sir."

"That's fine, Betty, thank you."

"You're welcome, Mr. President."

Not six minutes later did the door open to admit two white house interns rolling in a cork board and a small box of thumb tacks. The interns were guided to leave the board and box before leaving through the door with a soft click of the handle.

Clinton handed the map back to Hammond who handed it to the colonel to put on the board. Jack volunteered Carter to help with the map while Daniel put the tacks in. They went back to their seats again before General Hammond began once again. "As you can see, Mr. President. We are severely lacking in several aspects of the coming conflicts. However, before I get into the specifics, would you allow me to bring in our jaffa guest outside the door?" Clinton nodded as he grabbed his chair and brought around to the front of his desk facing the board. George nodded to Daniel who went to the door and exited only to come back a few seconds later accompanied by a man with a beanie and 'normal' civilian clothes.

Daniel brought the man over to the president to begin introductions. "Teal'c, this is President Clinton, or as we and now you will call him, Mr. President." He said as he swept his hand from Teal'c's body to Bill's. "Mr. President, this is Teal'c. He was the jaffa who switched sides and helped us escape from Chulak as well as halted the goa'uld that took over Major Kawalsky from getting through the gate back to said planet." Bill stuck his hand out for Teal'c to shake only for him to surprise him with a grasp to his forearm and bowing his head slightly and bring his head back up to look in his eyes.

"You are the leader of this world, Mr. President?"

"No, Teal'c, I am the leader of one of the more powerful countries on this planet." Teal'c nodded. "I understand."

With that Clinton guided Teal'c to the others. "Would you like a seat?"

He shook his head. "I am fine." He said in a tone of indifference. Clinton nodded his head and looked to Hammond before sitting and gesturing to continue.

George stepped next to the board and help a pointer stick up to it. "Mr. President, as of now we are at a severe disadvantage. A few of those advantages would be numbers, technology and space combat. The Goa'uld have hundreds of millions of Jaffa under there rule that are used aboard ships or as ground troops." Stopping to let the President have that information sink he looked at General Shelton who nodded at him. "Next, technology wise they are, from what Captain Carter tells me, nearly two hundred years ahead of us if we were to develop naturally. In terms of tech, sir, I will turn this over to Captain Carter." He took a seat as Samantha took over for him. She took a deep breath before taking over where Hammond left off.

"The Goa'uld's biggest advantage over us is their ability to field a fleet in space. Their fleet is mostly comprised of one ship, from what Teal'c tells us, called a Ha'tak-class capital ship. These ships, sir, are capable of multiple roles in combat including being a carrier for the twelve wings of fighters called, death gliders. Or it could be a troop carrier as it carries nearly two-thousand Jaffa. According to Teal'c, there are hundreds of Ha'tak throughout the galaxy." She stopped to take a breath. "The death gliders are used as their main strike craft as well as their main way of intimidation on planets, sir, but unless we can get our hands on either of these vessels than that is all that I can say in regards to those. However, in terms of their Jaffa infantry and don't take offense with what I'm about to say Teal'c, but one of ours is worth nearly ten of theirs." Teal'c raised a brow, but bowed his head in acknowledgment of her statement before he said.

"It is true. On the retreat to the Chappa'ai, your warriors did indeed kill several Jaffa without suffering injuries."

President Clinton sank into his chair with a sigh at that. "Well…at least there's that."

"Their armor is medieval in nature, sir and they only use one main weapon called a Ma'Tok Staff, or as we call it, a staff weapon. They also carry a sidearm that is called a Zat'nik'tel, or 'Zat'. One shots stuns, two shots kills and the third shot disintegrates the target. The last weapon they use is a grenade mainly used in buildings or ships called a Tok'Kal. It's essentially a potentially lethal flash bang, sir." Taking another few seconds to catch her breath she watched the reactions of the occupants of the room. Obviously the President and his aide were stunned by what they heard and from the look of the Chief of Staff, some of this info was new to him as well, but none were more stunned than the scientists. They had their mouths open in shock as they contemplated the many different things they could study as well as just how screwed they were if the goa'uld ever found the planet.

Bill sat forward with his hands clasped in front of him. "Captain Carter…What is it you need to keep our people safe going through that gate? I will do what I can to provide all necessary materials to you."

Sam fidgeted where she stood as she looked at those around the room. "Well, sir-""Captain Carter…" Clinton interrupted. "What. Do. You. Need?"

Jack stood and joined Sam by the board before he replied to his Commander in Chief. "Sir, I recommend we phase out nine-millimeter weapons until the egg heads figure out how to have them punch harder. At the minimum, I suggest five-five-six rounds." He turned his head to General Shelton. "I recommend M4's with rail systems, sir as they hit harder and have far more modulation for the battlefield. And if I may give my personal opinion, sir?" His last sentence was directed back at the President.

"Go ahead."

"I recommend we move the Stargate to a better defendable location and away from the civilian population. Cheyenne Mountain is a terrible location from a defense standpoint, not to mention an offensive one. We also need to give the civilian consultants basic training including physical conditioning and weapons handling. There is bound to be times where the scientists and whoever else goes through will need to defend themselves." Jack finished. Everyone's eyes widened as they took that in. The shock was clear to everyone as they looked at each other. General Shelton was about to tear into the colonel before the President cut in once again.

"Done." General Shelton's mouth snapped shut as his mind caught up to what his superior just said. "Sir, to what do you say that to?"

Clinton eyed everyone in the room before he spoke firmly. "All of it…including the relocation of the Stargate."

Jaws dropped to the floor when they heard that. His secretary turned to him in disbelief. "Sir, doing that would-""I know doing so is going to cost us Michael. However, if I can help protect not only those going through the gate, but also the rest of the planet by relocating the Stargate…then I will…" His voice was just as firm as it was before if not more so. Michael stepped back and nodded in acquiescence. "Understood, Mr. President."

Clinton turned to the rest of those in the room, his eyes daring them to go against what he had said. "Anyone have any suggestions for the location of the new base and what to do with said base?"

Sam voiced the question in everyone's mind. "Sir, what do you mean by 'what to do with the base'?"

Clinton gave a snort of amusement despite the atmosphere of the room. "Am I the only one here besides the colonel that knows that this project as well as a new base is huge for us?"

Jack spoke up once again. "Are you still taking suggestions, sir?"

"Go ahead."

"Sir, Alaska would be an ideal place for a new base for this program. It's remote. The population is next to nothing for its size and there is plenty of room to put whatever we need in for the base."

Sam nodded along with his explanation. "He's right, sir. I could help design a rough draft of the new base and get it to you."

Clinton clapped loudly as he smiled. "Fantastic, Captain. Now let's break for lunch and keep going after that." Everyone nodded and began making their way to different parts of the room as the President ordered food be brought to his office.

**20****th****, August – 1997**

"Two weeks ago we went to P3X-593, now known as Simarka by the locals. To sum up the mission, sir, we ran into a little trouble, Carter was forced to let herself be kidnapped, she ended up having to go hand to hand with a village chief to 'win her freedom' and we got the medicinal herbs we needed…" Jack summed up as he doodled on hid notepad. "…Sir." He tacked on as an afterthought.

"I read the mission report colonel and I'm not refuting any of that. The Shavadai are currently trading with us in exchange of seeds for crops. The problem we are having is that some of those in the Pentagon believe we are living up to the quota of technology being brought back versus how much we are spending to go out there." Hammond said as he looked at the rest of SG-1. "If any of you know where to find technology to bring back for proof then I'm all ears."

Teal'c raised an eyebrow. "What kind of technology do you seek, General Hammond."

With a sigh George looked out of the window at the gate as he replied. "At this point, I would take anything, Teal'c."

Teal'c tilted his head slightly. "There is a planet I have been sent to many times by Apophis. It holds a creature that is capable of invisibility. Is this something you would seek?"

Sam's head shot up at the word 'invisibility'. "Sir, if there's a creature capable of that and we could capture it…we might be able to figure out how it does that and create a device to do the same thing for us!" She exclaimed enthused.

Hammond nodded. "You have a go. Colonel, if possible, I want to return it unharmed understood?"

"Yes sir."

**P3X-774**

SG-1 walked down the steps from the gate as it shut down and then paused to look in awe of the planet they found themselves on. The remote controlled gear hauler, loaded with supplies and ammunition, rolled to a stop next to them.

"Now this…this planet I would love to live on." Jack muttered as he held his M4 to his chest. The weapons he had recommended had come to the SGC in wholesale. M4's and all the equipment you could possibly want on it. The General also had requisitioned P-90's for civilian consultants to use. While the weapon could still use nine-millimeter rounds it was able to switch calibers to that of the twenty-eight millimeter rounds which would hopefully be able to allow penetration of jaffa armor.

The only one of the team to not take a new weapon was Teal'c, but that was only due to the fact that he had not been trained in the use of Earth's weapons yet. Carter carried her M4 with a bit longer range of scope for shots at a better distance. Daniel carried his new P-90 in a cautionary hold. His training for the weapon was slightly rushed, but he was good enough to be approved with the handling of it on missions.

Giving himself a mental slap. Jack turned around. "Alright kids, let's-where's the stargate?" He asked in shock. The rest of the team quickly spun to look and were just as shocked.

"H-how?" Daniel whispered.

Sam just shook her head stupefied. "That's not possible. It was there…"

As usual, Teal'c only rose a brow to give any hint of surprise. Jack gave another mental slap as he readied his weapon just in case. "Ok, let's find the creature and come back to this. We'll deal with the gate later. Carter, Daniel, you go that way. Teal'c and I will go this way. Check in every hour and if you find the creature we'll converge on it together…move out!" exclaimed Jack as he spun and walked the opposite direction Sam and Daniel were.

Nearly three hours later, Jack and Teal'c were walking along a tree line when the Jaffa saw something out of the corner of his eye. "O'Neill." Jack looked over and saw the same thing. There was a mass disturbing the visuals around it making it look like the landscape around it was bending. Jack grabbed his radio. "Carter, Daniel you read?"

"Yes sir. We see you and we see exactly what you do. We are four-hundred yards to your west-northwest."

"Observation only. I don't want any surprises with this thing so we watch for now."

"Copy that. Observation only." Jack put down his radio and continued to watch the mass move about. He was about to pull his tranquilizer gun before a golden blob of energy sailed past the mass which caused it to take off. The team was instantly alert. "Carter you got anything?"

Sam and Daniel were scanning the trees when she spotted Jaffa. "Contact. Four Jaffa and you're not going to believe this…Apophis is here too." She couldn't believe their luck! Not only could the team grab a potential cloaking creature, they could grab Apophis as well!

"Carter, regroup with us and we'll tail them and see if we can grab two prizes today."

"Copy. Regrouping."

The team tracked Apophis several miles before setting an ambush for him. They watched as the group of five came closer to their trap.

"Carter. You and Daniel ready?" Jack whispered into his radio.

"Yes sir. Waiting for your signal." She replied softly.

"Teal'c?"

"I am ready, O'Neill." Came the slight growl of the Jaffa.

Jack lined his sights up with one of the Jaffa. "I got top right…"

"Top left." Sam called.

"Bottom left." Came Daniels soft reply.

"I will take the last." Said Teal'c.

"On my count. Five. Four…two…one…" Jack took a breath and slowly released it as he squeezed the trigger.

**SPLAT!**

His targets head gained a new hole in it as he then switched to Apophis who he had to admit had some good reflexes and sense of awareness. Apophis had shouted just before his first Jaffa went down causing the other three to look around before another went down courtesy of a bullet to the skull. Daniel missed his intended target, but managed to put a couple of rounds into a Jaffa's chest. He now laid dying and gasping for breath.

Teal'c had also missed as his target ducked behind a boulder just in time for a staff blast to sail through where his head had previously been. At this point, Apophis had managed to get his shield up just in time for the bullet to bounce off of it, the trajectory indicating that the colonel had aimed for the Goa'uld's knee cap.

Apophis's Jaffa was now trading blasts with Teal'c as he bent over to grab a staff from the ground. He had a look of manic glee upon his face as he activated the weapon and fired at Daniel and managed to hit him center mass.

Daniel crumbles lifelessly over and down the side of the ridge he was on, landing on the ground face first with a look of shock on his visage. Sam seeing this made a run for him. "Daniel!" She screamed!

Only to be caught in the chest by a blast from the Goa'uld's weapon. Jack grit his teeth as he kept firing on Apophis while his enemy casually swept the staff in his direction now and tried to dive out of the way. Apophis grinned savagely as his blast met its mark in the colonel's side.

Teal'c's eyes widened before narrowing as he stepped out of his cover and managed to land a hit on the last Jaffa's arm with him going down. He tried desperately to kill Apophis only for the shield to absorb them all and with that spread his arms wide and cried one single phrase in goa'uld. "Tal shaka mel – I die free!"

And Disappeared…

**1 hour later**

Daniel's eyes opened slowly before blinking rapidly. He couldn't remember how he fell asleep, only that he was part of the ambush for Apophis before everything went wrong…

!

He gasped as he shot up into a sitting position, looking down, grasping at his chest to make sure it was all real…

He looked around and saw that Sam and Jack were there as well. Getting up, he made his way through the wooded hut like structure to Sam where he saw a hole similar to his on her uniform. Pressing slightly onto her bared skin he looked around in bewilderment, not believing that he was alive. Sam opened her eyes as soon as she felt the touch and looked down at his hand. "Hey…" She mumbled groggily. "…What are you looking at?"

Daniel took his hand off just as she lifted hers. "I felt that blast kill me…" he stated concerned. "I-I felt like I was-I thought we were dead. Weren't we dead?" he asked still looking around.

Sam gave a soft. "Yeah…" Before she sat up looking around just as he did.

"Ok…" He said with a soft snort. "Well I thought heaven would be a little more up-scale…"

"Ahhh-I don't think this is heaven…" She said getting up only to spot the colonel on another bed on his side. She rushed to his side and checked the hole in the uniform as Daniel tried to wake him.

"Jack…"

…

"Jack." He tried.

"What the…!" O'Neill lifted his head up quickly. Daniel was quietly telling him 'It's ok…' as he finished. "…Hell was that?"

He slowly sat up looking around just as the others did. "Wasn't I just…?" He trailed off as he felt the hole in his uniform where he had felt a brief flash of searing pain before darkness.

"Killed?" Sam asked.

"Killed as in-" "Dead. Yeah, we know, I don't know how you went down sir, but Daniel and I…we shouldn't be alive right now…"

"Oh…" Jack said. Taking deep breaths. "This is a surprise then…" Daniel cut in. "I don't know what happened to Teal'c…

"Colonel! My side arm's gone." Sam exclaimed in worry.

Jack instantly lowered his hand to where his _should_ have been.

"So's mine…" He said.

Suddenly someone appeared in the doorway and made his way to them and looked at each of them individually, smiling all the while. "Uhh, hello!" Daniel said. The man who had walked in merely stared as they did the same only for a second figure, this one female, strolled up next to him. Daniel began growing intrigued and leaned forward slightly. "Hi. I'm Daniel uh Jackson. This is Captain Carter." He made a gesture to her while she nodded her head. "And this is uh-""Colonel Jack O'Neill, SG-1…uh…sorry to uh…drop in on you like this, but we were…dead…" The two just smiled at them.

"Do you know where our friend is?" Sam pointed to her uniform. "Someone like us?"

The female gestured her hands for them to follow and the man's smile looks to have slightly soured though not much as he followed her out of the hut. Not knowing what else to do the team left the hut as well to find that they were in a different, deeper part of the forest. Daniel turned to them once again asked in confusion. "Is this your village? Arrish? Taalkeem?" No answer was given once again. "We need to find our friend Teal'c…" He lowered his hands in defeat and slight frustration as they once again kept silent and walked away. This time the team followed immediately and saw that there were two more beings. One, a man who looked slightly older than the one who came to greet them, and the other a young boy who sat with a smile on his face.

Jack saw that there were several plates of food set out in front of them. "Ah! Fruit!" He exclaimed. "Nothing like coming back from the dead filled with an appetite." He said sarcastically, but accepted the fruit either way as he sat down with the other two. The man with the large smile on his face tossed each of them a bright red fruit before Daniel gestured to the open hole in his uniform. "Did you do this?" At their blank stares he gestured once again. "Did you heal us?" When they exchanged looks with each other under Jacks stare; what looked to be the oldest swept his hand just above the fruit indicating they wished to share. _'interesting'_ Jack thought as he took a bite of the fruit and was pleasantly surprised with the taste. "Not too sweet. Not too sour either." He mumbled.

He felt Daniel lean in a bit. "I think they're a family…"

Jack snorted. "I think they already know what we are saying and are judging our reactions to their silence." He said looking at the woman. "You're good at hiding your body movements, but your eyes showed familiarity to our language which means you can understand what we are saying and can't speak or you are simply letting the silence speak for you…" He finished while popping the rest of his fruit into his mouth. "May I have a few more?" He said, still staring at the woman the whole time that merely smiled back and gestured to the bowl with amusement in her eyes.

Daniel and Sam stared at Jack for a few seconds before they realized what they just heard and looked at the family. "You understand us?" Daniel asked in disbelief.

"Yes." Replied the woman. "We are well aware of your language." Sam's eyes lit up in understanding. "You healed us and you have the ability to cloak yourselves!" She exclaimed enthused at her deductions.

The woman spoke up. "My name is Lya. This is my life mate, Anteaus. My child, Nafrayu and my father, Ohper. We welcome you to our world." She said with a much livelier smile. Anteaus looked at them. "We have sent your weapons through the stargate. Soon you will leave and take your ways with you."

"But how did you do all of those things?" Sam asked.

Anteaus gave her another smile. "Our ways."

"But we-""Carter, leave it alone. They don't want to show us or talk about their ways and that is their decision. We came here to see if we could catch that creature that could turn invisible, but we ran into the ones who _make_ it invisible." Jack cut in. He had eaten a few more of the small fruits before standing up as Anteaus did. "Is there any way we could set up a trade?"

This seemed to give the family pause as they looked at each other. Ohper's face went blank as he looked into O'Neill's eyes and Jack felt as if his very soul was being judged. As if all of the actions he had taken so far in life had led to this very moment. Daniel, seeing that there was a tension in between the two men spoke up. "If it's not too rude…may I ask how old your people are?" Ohper's attention switched to Daniel as he also switched to another language. "_Fere quinque decies annis terrae tuae._" His voice was deeper than the others and had a richness to it that was pleasant to the ear. Daniel couldn't believe it! If what Ohper had said was true than he and his people were some of the oldest in the universe!

With an excitement he hadn't felt since he first realized the truth about the pyramids, he launched several questions at them in the same language. "_Quindecim million?! Populum tuum multum habent satis cum dives culturae maxime comparari. Sit ... petere est modo scientia vel minor populo negotiationis potuimus aliquid simile minor porta oratio, ut non inveniat utile?_" He requested. Jack cut in once again as he took a bite of another fruit. He had only caught snippets of the conversation, but he knew enough to roughly tell what Daniel asked. "Daniel I was thinking we could start off smaller…like for this fruit." He said as he finished off the bright red ball in his hand.

Sam meanwhile was having a conversation with Nafrayu. The young boy seemed to be enthused to talk to her and she found him to adorable to ignore in favor of the tense discussions next to her.

"I have never spoken to another species before! We do not usually interact with those who come here." Nafrayu declared.

Sam smiled wide at him as she gushed on the inside at just how cute the kid was. "Well-""No, Carter." Jacks deadpan voice cut in. "You can't keep him." He concluded with amusement.

He got a raspberry bouncing off his head in return as she returned to her conversation with the child. Anteaus and Lya had been strangely silent the last few minutes looking at each other in the eyes in a seemingly long battle of wills. '_From the look on his face, Anteaus just lost…I feel for you man…I know how that feels._' Jack thought. Lya turned her attention back to him. "The Council is willing to trade food and minor information. However, in exchange-"This caught the notice of the other two members of the team in the clearing. "-We ask that you respect our wishes and leave for now so that we may discuss among ourselves what it is we are willing to trade with you long term." Jack nodded and stood up and gestured for the other two to do the same.

Just then Teal'c walked into the clearing and joined the others. "O'Neill. I am glad to find you well." He smiled.

Jack smiled back. "Good to see you too, Teal'c."

"Are we continuing our search for the creature?"

"No. We actually were about to go find you so we could head back home."

Teal'c raised his brow before he bowed his head slightly. Jack turned to the family again. "I don't think we ever thanked you for helping us…we really do appreciate that. However, now that Apophis knows that the creature is not making itself invisible, he will keep coming to this planet until he finds the ones who do. Especially, when he knows that those who aided us in escaping him are on this planet. This will put you and your people in danger and we don't want to leave you defenseless…" He was interrupted by Anteaus with a raised hand. "We will send you home, Colonel O'Neill, but please, do not tell us that you wish to defend us when you would have taken the fenri and used it to figure out its secrets that it does not have." He spoke in a stern voice as he walked with the entire group through the forest.

Sam shook her head. "We were only going to tranquilize the creature, bring it back through the gate and then bring it back to the planet when we were finished analyzing it. We had no intention of killing it. In fact we are under strict orders from our leaders that it was not to be harmed before, during, or after we captured it."

This caused Nafrayu, who was walking next to her to speak up. "Yet you attacked the others. You would have us believe that you are peaceful when you are the ones who caused death first?"

Jack stopped walking and turned to the family. "With respect to you and your people. We are at war with the ones we shot at; and the guy in the golden armor that killed us? His name is Apophis. A member of a species called the Goa'uld, who have enslaved our people for thousands of years and while we are certainly new to the galaxy at large; we will not allow it any longer. He and the rest of his species are responsible for countless millions of lives lost and will be responsible for millions more before we are able to take them down." He stopped to take a deep breathe to calm himself of the anger and irritation he felt when reciting what his hated enemy has done and will do. The local family exchanged brief looks as Sam spoke up in a soft voice full of sadness. "The first time we encountered a Goa'uld was when we had first walked through the stargate. His name was Ra and he was the worst of the worst of his species before we killed him. When we arrived on a world called Abydos we observed a village that was fairly large and primitive by even our standards. When Ra came to the planet he had two of his fighters strafe the village for no other reason than because he could. That strafing caused thirteen deaths; four of those deaths were children no older than ten years old." She too took a shuddering breathe to calm herself as she recounted what she learned from her first trip through the stargate.

"I lived on that world for nearly four years. I learned their history and their culture. I started to educate them in basic math and science and a few other subjects I'm fairly adept at. I started teaching them our language and learned theirs in return. I fell in love with a beautiful woman named, Sha're. Gained a family in her people. Became the leader of their people because of what I had taught them and what I had left to teach them." Daniel interjected. "Apophis came to Abydos, killed several of our soldiers, took my wife and brother and left without any remorse. When we staged a rescue of not only my wife and brother, but a female soldier who had been taken the day before from Earth, while in the process, killing three others, we were captured and thrown into a large room with dozens of other people from several different worlds." Ohper frowned at that, as did Lya, who looked at SG-1 intensely. Daniel continued.

"We had just awoke from being unconscious when the door to the cage opened and several jaffa came into the room and corralled everyone into two separate sides of the room while making us kneel down just before several Goa'uld came into the room along with Apophis. He then had us all watch as he revealed his new queen…" He then snarled softly before he sighed as Jack put a hand on his shoulder. "He then brought out my wife, my beautiful Sha're, and told everyone that she was his new queen. Apparently, his mates former host had died and needed a new one…she obviously chose Sha're who didn't have a choice in the matter. Then he told the other Goa'uld to choose who we wanted as children and they took several people ranging from young adults to actual children, including Skaara…my brother by marriage…" Daniel stopped as he took his glasses off and turned around wiping his eyes while Sam rubbed his back.

Teal'c's jaw muscles flexed a few times in frustration as he took up the story. "As the false gods left with their new hosts I was then ordered by Apophis, as his First Prime, to kill the rest of those who were not chosen as he no longer had need for the rest."

"Teal'c turned on his fellow Jaffa and turned his back on his _god_ in order to help us and the others escape. He left behind his life as First Prime, his home and his _family_ to help free us. He has helped us since then against the Goa'uld and could never ask for more." Jack finished the tale. He stared into Anteaus's eyes as he did and once again felt like he was being judged, though this time, he felt as if there were several people judging him that he could not see.

The family was silent as their eyes glazed over looking into the distance.

The team took the time to get their emotions back into check before Jack spoke up once more.

"For over ten-thousand years, the Goa'uld have taken and enslaved our people. For ten-thousand years they have used our people as canon-fodder against one another in power struggles. For ten-thousand years they have used our people to enslave or destroy other species who either submitted to their rule or were decimated for daring to reject it." Jack said sternly as the family looked to him once again with neutrality in their eyes, but sympathy also.

"When we discovered just how beaten down and broken the people of the galaxy have become from the Goa'uld's rule. We said, 'no more', and are now stepping up to become a light in the darkness for those who believe they have no choice. We are stepping up to fight against those who would dare to harm and enslave our people and we will continue to do so until they let our people go free including those they took as slaves, or we will drive them back until they are back on their home world and we will never allow them to achieve space flight again." He paused as he looked to the sky. He then sighed. "Our people have a saying…and I believe it applies to the situation our galaxy is in. It says, 'The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing'." Jack finished. With one more sigh he then gestured to the rest of the team as he continued the trek to the stargate.

There was no sound between the two groups as they walked. Only that of crunching leaves, and that of the soft rain coming down from the canopy of the trees. Soon enough, the stargate came into view and the team began to prepare to return. The gate activated with its standard unstable vortex before settling into that of a stable wormhole. The team turned to the family once more as Daniel asked the question that had been plaguing his mind since the end of their earlier conversation.

"If you don't mind me asking…what is the name of your people…?"

For the first time in the near two hours they stayed silent, Lya was the one who spoke. "We are called the Nox, Daniel Jackson. You fear for us, yes?"

"Yes…we do…"

Ohper was the one who spoke this time. "Why?"

Surprisingly, it was Teal'c who answered the question. "It is our way to defend those who are weak."

"We're afraid for you…" Jack added.

With smiles once more on their faces, Anteaus turned to Lya, who merely smiled wider. He closed his eyes giving a soft snort of humor before looking into each of the teams' eyes.

"Before you go, O'Neill…there is something we would have you see." He turned and with a wave of his and the other two oldest of his family several things happened. The first being the numerous amounts of the fenri becoming visible. The second being a large city appearing from nowhere. Sam was about to say something before several more cities came into view across the valley as far as she and the team could see.

The cities appeared one after the other spanning several miles in all directions each. Many towers among the city were huge, but the strangest and awe inspiring thing for the team was the fact that the cities were double sided. The cities on the underside being just as large on the top as they are below.

"Oh my god…" Jack nearly whispered in awe and disbelief.

Anteaus looked to them once more; smiling at the as if he was a parent to a child. "Fear not…however…maybe one day you will learn that your way…is not the only way." He finished. He and Nafrayu then disappeared. Lya and Ohper stepped forward and crossed their arms over their chest with a slight bow. "We thank you…you feared for our safety though you did not know our technology was greater that of your enemy. The others sent them back through the gate before we arrived as well as your weapons back through to your world." Lya then gestured to the gate and the team followed her and began walking through.

"Colonel O'Neill…" Ohper called out. Jack stopping just before going through. Ohper then brought his hand palm up to Jack and before he could do anything a shimmer took place in the Nox's hand.

He watched as a crystal took form and Lya grabbed it from him, putting it into Jacks own hand.

He looked at the crystal in confusion, turning it end over end before looking at Lya, realizing that Ohper had also disappeared as he looked at the crystal. "I'm sorry…what is this?" He asked. Lya gave him a small indulgent smile and gently guided him the last few steps to the gate.

"It is our gift to you and your people, O'Neill…"

"A gift? We came to your home. Caused death and then questioned your ways…to be honest I didn't think that you and your people would want to speak to us after that." Jack spoke as he began to put the crystal in a pocket on his vest.

"You have given us much to think of. We were once part of a great alliance of races. We the Nox and our friends, the Asgard, the Furlings and those that you will learn of as the Ancients; or as we called them, the Alterans. The Alterans were the oldest of us. You are to us now, as we were to them then. We had gathered at first to a great meeting place on a world the Alterans called Heliopolis. It was there that our species learned of each other. We were the most advanced species in our galaxies as the Furlings at the time were intergalactic. For nearly five million of your Earth years we lived and thrived together. Now there are only two of us left." She sighed in sadness before softly smiling at him once more. "The Asgard are the only ally left that we have who exist, but it has been so long since we last spoke to our friends since our trip into isolation." She closed her eyes a gave a slight shake of her head.

"Go now, O'Neill. Let your people know that the Nox are willing to open trade arrangements to start the beginning of our friendship." She finished and gave him a slight shove into the portal with it shutting off shortly after.

Several Nox arrived behind her as she continued to smile softly at the gate for a short time before one interrupted her.

"What is it, Lya, that has you smile so."

She turned to the group with her hands brought together in front of her, her eyes shining in excitement.

"Our old friends were correct. They have a great potential to become the Fifth Race…"

**Meanwhile, on Earth…**

Jack made his way down the ramp in thought as he heard Hammonds voice command over the PA system to 'stand down'. The security personnel either leaving to inspect and return their weapons and equipment or returning to their posts. Reaching the bottom of the ramp he noticed the rest of the team was waiting for him as the general walked into the room. "Welcome back, SG-1. I assume the mission was a failure?" Hammond asked as he looked to each of them.

"No completely, General…" Jack stated as he retrieved the crystal from his vest pocket. The rest of the team looked at it in surprise before Teal'c recognized what he was holding.

"It appears that you are holding an information crystal, O'Neill. Do you know what it may possess?"

Jack looked down at it with a soft smile. "A gift…"

"Sir?" Sam jumped in.

"When I asked what it was they said it was a gift. That it was what we were looking to get when we arrived on the planet." Everyone's eyes widened as they realized just what it was Jack was holding in his hand.

"The information on cloaking technology…" Sam gasped. Jack interrupted her with another surprise.

"With the promise of future trade agreements…"

With that said. General Hammond felt he needed to get things moving…quickly. "Debrief in one hour. Get yourselves checked out in the infirmary. Meanwhile, I have a call to the president to make." And without dismissing them, simply turned and walked away to go back to his office with the team heading to the infirmary.

'_I have a feeling that it's going to be another long night.'_ Hammond thought as he sat in his chair and picked up the bright red phone on his desk.


End file.
